Chapter Six

T he next few days passed quietly and everyone was forced indoors due to a succession of rainy days. Gawain hid out in the library most of the time, leaving Fiona, with the assistance of Reggie and Cherish, to fill in the hours for her guests.

As it turned out, Cherish was indeed quite accomplished on the pianoforte and had a large repertoire of songs. Yesterday afternoon and again that evening after supper, she entertained everyone with her lively tunes while the others danced. Gawain had retreated to the library because he did not wish to be accosted by the peahens who would expect him to participate.

If Cherish was not dancing, then neither did he care to dance.

This afternoon, the young ladies were again enlisted to entertain the gathering with songs. Cherish, not wishing to be featured once again, volunteered to accompany them on the pianoforte. He almost felt guilty for not helping out, but Reggie had stepped up and was doing an excellent job of organizing entertainments for Fiona’s male guests. On top of it all, he had done it while sober.

But Gawain knew it was time for him to step in when he heard Reggie’s woodpecker laugh resounding through the hall.

This meant his nephew had been drinking again.

Not that he blamed Reggie, for all the young men had spent the past few days foggy with drink to relieve their boredom. Many of the ladies had tippled, too.

He set his book aside and was about to rise from his comfortable reading chair when he heard a light rap at the door. “Come,” he intoned.

A moment later, Cherish stepped into the library. “Um, Your Grace…”

He had avoided the girl fairly easily these past rainy days, but the sight of her now simply took his breath away. She was a ray of sunshine and her radiant smile had his heart beating ridiculously fast. How did she manage this?

Her gowns were nothing fancy, including this one she had on, which was a dark green muslin barely trimmed with silk. It had little white flowers embroidered around the bodice and hem that added just the slightest frivolity to her otherwise serious nature. Her throat was bare, as usual. All she had on were those small gold earrings dangling from the lobes of her little ears.

Gad, she drove him wild. He wanted to spend the night nibbling her ears, her throat—

Which was why he had made it a point to avoid her in the first place. “What is it, Cherish?”

“Fiona needs your assistance.”

He cast her a wry smile. “I was just about to seek her out. I heard Reggie’s woodpecker laugh.”

Cherish arched a delicate eyebrow and tossed him another smile. “It is hard to miss, but don’t judge him too harshly. The young men are bored and have little to do other than dance and drink.”

“I know. I was young once, too.” He held her back a moment before they walked out. “How are you and Reggie getting along?”

“He is very nice, but…”

“Are you irritated that he is drinking?”

“No, they all are. He is actually more sober than the rest… Well, Lord Durham also has his wits about him. He’s another one like you who always prefers to remain in control of his senses.”

“Then what is your hesitation?”

She cast him a look of dismay. “I am not hesitating. In truth, I have been mingling with the others and quite enjoying myself. But…besides your nephew, I think there may be another young lord interested in me.”

“There is?” That she should have a genuine suitor hit Gawain hard. To his dismay, he felt a sudden heaviness course through his body, as though he were about to be buried beneath a crushing pile of stones.

She nodded. “But I doubt it will lead to anything. Who would seriously offer for me without knowing the details of my dowry? It is absurd that I am left completely in the dark about my trust fund or any other arrangements my father made for me before his passing.”

“Who is this other man?”

“Oh, he isn’t important. It will never come to anything anyway. I think he truly likes me, but he needs to marry an heiress.”

Gawain’s insides began to churn.

Obviously, the man’s taste in women was excellent and could not be faulted. What if he decided Cherish was worth more than any advantage an heiress could give him, and offered for her?

It was all he could do to tamp down the apish part of him.

He did not press her for the name of this new suitor because right now he wanted to rip the man’s head off.

Bollocks.

What was happening to him? He had never felt this way about any woman, not even the one who had betrayed him all those years ago.

“Reggie will have you no matter what you bring to the marriage. I will provide for you if your father has failed to do so. As I said, it is your intelligence and charm that is important. This is what Reggie needs above all else.”

She did not look happy about his comment.

As for him, he was amazed that he managed to sound so unaffected. “Are we clear on this?”

“Yes, we are clear. But do not expect me to cheer over this, Your Grace. I am not comfortable about your plans, and it still feels quite mercenary.”

“Mercenary? Cherish, you have not asked me for a blessed thing.” He stared at her. “There is a business aspect to every marriage. You cannot deny it. Will it ease your mind if we set terms down in writing?”

She laughed. “No, although any young lady with half a brain would insist on it. But this appears to be the missing part of my brain. I don’t want to be paid off , and I am not interested in your wealth. My concern is about matters of the heart.”

“Mine? I can assure you, I will not think less of you if you negotiate hard to protect your future.”

“No, I am speaking of your nephew’s future. Does he not deserve someone better than me? Someone who adores him and cannot breathe whenever he stands close? I’ve noticed this is how Lady Margaret behaves whenever she is around him. She genuinely cares for him.”

“Her?”

“Yes, and I like her.”

“If she is enamored of Reggie, then why is she constantly tossing herself in my path?”

Cherish pursed her lips. “That is her family’s doing, not hers. She is happiest and most relaxed when she is beside him. In truth, I think she and Reggie suit quite nicely. He is very kind and protective around her.”

“And your point?”

“It feels cruel to save myself by marrying Reggie when I cannot make him as happy as he deserves to be.”

“And you think a little peahen like Lady Margaret can make him a better wife? He needs a woman with brains. You will be a good wife for him because you also have a caring nature and will do all in your power never to hurt him.”

She did not appear convinced. “Well, I wanted to be honest with you about my feelings. But if you and Reggie are all right with it, then I shall try to be as well. I may not succeed. It feels very wrong, and this is difficult for me to overcome. Your nephew and Margaret seem so right together.”

“Few ton marriages are based on love, Cherish.”

“I know, and I think it is a very sad thing. Oh, I understand the business need for many in the Upper Crust to secure their assets or enhance their fortunes. I shall speak no more about love or the hope of it. But do not be angry with me if I quietly keep wishing for it.”

They strode down the hall and walked together into the parlor, where Fiona obviously had her hands full trying to keep her guests entertained.

Everyone sprang to attention when Gawain strode in. Reggie staggered to his feet and swallowed hard. “You aren’t going to berate me, are you?”

“No,” Gawain said. “Just lay off the brandy for a while.”

Cherish darted away when the peahens began to cluster around him. He took his punishment with manly grace, smiling all the while they chattered at him and split his head open with their inane comments.

He held his smile as they shamelessly flirted with him and did not bother to ask him a single question about his likes or dislikes, his feelings, his thoughts on anything.

Well, why should they? Their parents must have pounded all the relevant facts about him into their head. His noble lineage. How he acquired his peerage. The extent of the Bromleigh holdings. The ladies he had escorted in the past.

How best to lure him into a compromising position.

Cherish was the only one who stood to the side and did not bother to vie for his attention. Well, he had firmly chased her away by now. He’d shoved her at Reggie.

Why did it feel like the biggest mistake of his life?

When the rain finally stopped and the sun burst through the thick layers of clouds, he took it upon himself to organize a shopping excursion into Brighton. The ladies were thrilled. Even the gentlemen were eager to get out of the house. Some chose to join the ladies and others chose to remain behind and go for a ride. Reggie and his friend Durham agreed to attend to the men who wished to ride.

Gawain was not sure riding across the countryside was a wise idea, since the ground had to be wet and quite slippery because of the falling leaves.

In addition, they had all been drinking. Well, they were grown men. Durham and Reggie were only mildly soused and could be counted on to keep their wits about them.

“You are frowning, Uncle Gawain. Don’t worry about us.”

But he did worry about Reggie. After all, the lad was his only nephew, and Gawain did not want him doing anything reckless.

Durham patted him on the back, a familiarity he allowed because Durham was one of those rare young men of quality. “We’ll keep it short and likely return to the house before you and the ladies do. A round of billiards or card games will do for us while you are still off in town. Reggie and I have it all under control.”

Fiona called for several carriages to be brought around. Gawain had his own mount saddled, an enormous gray by the name of Odin who had been bred for battle. The big beast scared the wits out of Cherish, and she would not go near him. His heart went out to her, for her fear was real and a palpable torment to her. She had probably made things worse for herself by pretending to be strong and keeping her dread bottled up inside. It had now built up to a point that she might never get over it.

Gawain made certain to keep Odin a safe distance away from her.

“Will you not ride with us, Gawain?” Fiona asked as the ladies went to the waiting carriages to climb in.

“No, I’ll be fine serving as escort.” He had no desire to remain trapped inside one of those carriages with no escape from the ladies or their endless giggling and prattling. Not that what he spoke of was always highly intelligent or of particular note, but it was not conversations about lace gloves or how many curls to style in one’s hair.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, there’ll be more room for you ladies if I ride,” he responded when Fiona regarded him quizzically.

Cherish had already climbed in and was gazing at him and Fiona as they spoke.

Lord, her eyes. They truly were a mirror into her soul.

He could hear her thoughts as though she spoke them aloud, her desire to prove herself brave and her distress in knowing she had not yet conquered her fears. Mixed in was the desire to prove herself to him .

Of course, there was no need. If only she knew how much he…

No, he dared not consider his feelings for her.

As the carriages rolled away, a few of the gentlemen chose to join Gawain. They rode beside him as they escorted the ladies into town.

It was still early afternoon when they arrived in Brighton. The sun had burned the clouds away by the time the conveyances drew up along the high street, where all the finer shops were located.

Fiona, being a bit of a mother hen, guided the ladies into the nearby shops. The merchants were delighted to be descended upon, and even more delighted when Gawain told all the ladies to buy a little gift for themselves and it was his treat. While the other gentlemen followed them from shop to shop, Gawain made his payment arrangements with the merchants and then stood beside the carriages to await everyone’s return.

To his surprise, Cherish did not go into the shops but merely browsed from outside, doing nothing more than peering into the windows and staring at the colorful displays.

Gawain strolled over to her. “I’ve told the merchants to charge everyone’s purchases to my account.”

She smiled up at him. “Is that your way of atoning to Fiona for hiding out in her library these past two days?”

He chuckled. “Yes. Go in and choose something pretty for yourself.”

“It isn’t necessary.”

“Why are you so reluctant? What is it, Cherish?”

She blushed. “I don’t want anything from you.”

The comment surprised him. “It is a harmless gift that I’ve offered to all the ladies. No one will make anything of it. Why not choose a ribbon or a bit of lace? Or even a pair of earrings.” He tugged lightly on her ear. “It is the only jewelry I ever see you wear.”

She fidgeted a moment, and then released a soft breath. “My uncle will take away anything he thinks is of value. After my father died, I expected him to claim my mother’s pieces, for many of them were part of the Northam family jewels. But he also took my rings and necklaces, claiming they were Northam property even though they had nothing to do with the family’s heirloom collection. He’s just a toad that way. There was nothing expensive among them, so I really should not have cared.”

“Of course you should have. Especially since they held sentimental value for you.” Gawain knew he was going to haul off and punch Northam if the man ever dared approach him. “And you are all about sentiment, aren’t you?”

She nodded. “Yes, silly me.”

“Not silly at all. Come with me.” He did not give her the chance to argue, but took her by the elbow and nudged her into a nearby jeweler’s shop. “Choose something.”

She coughed. “Good afternoon, Mr. Sloane. How are you today?”

The proprietor’s gaze shot back and forth between the two of them. “A lovely day now that the rain has ended, Lady Cherish. What can I do for you?”

“Nothing at—” she started, but Gawain cut her off.

“I am buying a gift for each of Lady Shoreham’s guests, but this young lady is being quite stubborn and will not choose anything for herself. I will not have her return to Lady Shoreham’s manor empty handed. Let me see your selection of lockets. Heart lockets, if you please.” He regarded several display cases. “Let me have a closer look at these, too,” he said, pointing to a row of cameo brooches. “These might do. Something simple but elegant.”

“At once, Your Grace. Let me show you my finest.” Mr. Sloane hurried into his back room to fetch his samples.

“Why are you doing this? Northam will only take away whatever I choose,” Cherish whispered, obviously irritated with him and also feeling humiliated over her circumstances.

“Fiona will let me know if he does, and I will come down on him like a Viking horde. I assure you, Lord Northam will not touch this gift if he values his life.”

She rolled her eyes at him, but he caught the glimpse of a smile that she was trying hard to hide. “You are being apish again, you know.”

He grinned. “I know.”

“I think you rather like flexing your muscles from time to time.”

His grin broadened. “I do. So let me have my pleasure, will you? I cannot abide grasping people. It sets my blood boiling, especially when they grasp what they can from someone who is not in a position to fight back.”

“I should fight back,” she said with a nod. “I am ashamed I haven’t done so yet.”

“Cherish, no. I did not mean to admonish you in any way. None of this is your fault. You could not possibly defend yourself without my assistance, since our English laws are stacked against you. Now, come look at what Mr. Sloane has brought out and choose something lovely for yourself.”

Since he gave her little choice, she chose a cameo brooch—a carving of a lady with a book—and pinned it to the lace fichu at her bosom so that it sat snugly just atop the cleavage of her breasts. “What do you think, Your Grace?”

That he was in serious trouble over this girl. His heart was in an uproar.

“Perfect.”

He led her back outside. The ladies all showed him their purchases. He smiled and nodded and pretended to care. Well, he was pleased they had all enjoyed their shopping outing and the gift each chose for herself.

However, every last one of them noticed Cherish’s cameo brooch. Dear heaven, did all women have such sharp eyes? They ought to be tossed into military service and trained as sharpshooters.

Fiona came to his rescue before gossip got out of hand. “Oh, thank you, my dear Bromleigh. Lady Cherish has been so helpful to me,” she explained to the others. “I begged for his help in selecting something special for her. I knew she would adore this cameo brooch as soon as I spotted it in Mr. Sloane’s shop. Did he have it set aside for us as I requested?”

Gawain cast her a wry smile. “All attended to.”

“Good.” She leaned forward, kissed his cheek, and then whispered, “You dolt. Whatever possessed you to buy her something sure to raise eyebrows? Is she not in a bad enough situation? Did you have to put her at risk of being labeled your paramour?”

“She is not in any danger of it.”

“Only because I jumped in and rescued her in time.”

He drew away.

After assisting all the ladies back into their carriages, he strode to his mount and prepared to ride home along with the other men. But his mind was caught up in thoughts of Cherish. So what if he had bought her that trinket? It wasn’t a diamond necklace or anything remotely sparkling. Nor had it made a dent in his pocket change. One would think he had given her a Crown jewel for all the fuss.

The look of pleasure in Cherish’s eyes once she had resigned herself to accepting it was worth everything.

He had just climbed onto his saddle when someone called to him from a passing carriage. His blood turned to ice.

Katie.

The young woman who had broken his heart all those years ago. Only now, she was Countess Albin.

The widowed Countess Albin.

What was she doing here? And what else was she going to do to ruin his life?